


Take it Down, Drag me Out

by Shaw



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Aqua and Terra are in love and I dont make the rules sorry, Canon Compliant, F/M, Insomnia, Nightmares, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Ventus is their son-brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-24 02:16:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17695700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shaw/pseuds/Shaw
Summary: They love each other softly, so softly, but only as softly as they possibly can with their jagged edges and broken points. Aqua figures that this careful love is better than no love at all.





	Take it Down, Drag me Out

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pandapanpancake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandapanpancake/gifts).



There was a low groan in the dark and a shift. Aqua’s eyes stubborn stayed shut as she fought off the urge to wake up immediately. When the groaning got louder she knew that she needed to sit up. Goodness knew that some selfish part of her would rather try to stay asleep. When she managed to lug the rib crushing weight off of herself and reach over to turn on the lamp, she found Terra. Of course. Right where she’d left him, on the other side of the bed.

 

He was covered in sweat, skin sticking to the sheets as he thrashed helplessly in his sleep. That would explain the weight; he must’ve rolled onto her in the night. Aqua reached over and smoothed a hand through his bangs gently. He kept reaching up as if to paw at his face, mumbling incoherently.

 

“Terra… Terra, wake up. Hey, shhh…” It took several minutes to coax the man out of whatever nightmare was holding him hostage. Aqua couldn’t help feeling tired of it. Even with pain clutching her heart, love making her eyes sting, she was tired. So, so tired. Terra’s eyes opened, foggy and not all there. His mouth moved, teeth gnashing awkwardly, but he got no words out. Only sounds that made no sense to Aqua. She stroked his face again and leaned over to press a kiss to his forehead. He fumbled at her, hands searching and clumsy and awfully clammy. 

 

“Aqua…” 

 

“Hey, sleepyhead.” She murmured in return. Now that he was back in his right mind, Terra sat up and tried to compose himself. After all this time and he still felt the need to make himself perfect. Aqua stopped his hands as he fussed at his damp hair. He frowned at her. She only stared. 

 

“I’m… sorry for waking you up. Maybe this, was a bad idea.” 

 

“Maybe. Lay down with me.” Settling back onto her side, Aqua held her arm out for Terra to slip under. He was silent for a long time before slowly, hesitantly, settling down with her. Heaving a sigh heavier than centuries, Aqua wrapped her arm around Terra and pulled him close. He rested his head against her chest and the two of them remained still and quiet for a several minutes. 

 

“Do you remember… When we were little and, this was the other way around?” Terra questioned. His voice was rougher than it had once been, grinding out of his throat as if his body didn’t want to give the words up. Aqua threaded her fingers into his hair and hummed thoughtfully. 

 

“Yes… I do.”

 

“Funny… I never thought the roles would be reversed.” 

 

“Yeah. I could without you laying on top of me sometimes.” It was meant to be funny but felt empty. Aqua hugged Terra closer to make up for it. He wiggled slightly, adjusting his position. The feel of his drying skin pressed against her own admittedly was unpleasant; she didn’t have the heart to push him away. Only hold onto him tighter. 

 

“What were you dreaming about?” She finally asked. It seemed to be the new trend in the castle-- Dreams. She dreamed too, sometimes. Or at least she thought they were dreams. 

 

“I don’t… remember anymore. Not completely. It’s just bits and pieces.” 

 

“That’s okay. Maybe we shouldn’t talk about it yet, not now.” Terra huffed against her, shifting again. He was being awfully restless tonight. 

 

“We don’t have to do this, Aqua.”

 

“I want to.” She answered, perhaps too quickly. Terra was quiet for a moment before finally shifting so that he and Aqua were face to face. His gaze was imploring. Like he was trying to make sense of something. 

 

“I just don’t… want to hurt you. Not again.” In a tender gesture, he pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes, sighing through his nose. Aqua let her eyes flutter closed in turn. 

 

“You won’t. I trust you. You have to trust me too.” 

 

“I do… I trust you. Aqua?” She opened her eyes now to find Terra watching her carefully. His expression was… curious. For a moment she wondered if she was hallucinating this whole thing. 

 

“Yes?...”

 

“Do you remember when… I tried to make you a birthday cake, on my own. It was, a little before Ventus… And I nearly set the whole castle on fire.” The memory wrangled a smile onto Aqua’s face against her will. She remembered that for sure. Terra had been so embarrassed he’d refused to speak to anyone for a whole week. Eraqus had promised he wasn’t upset with him, but it was clear to see he was at least a bit peeved. A mirrored smile flickered on Terra’s face in turn. 

 

“Yeah, I remember. That was really sweet of you… Even if it went horribly wrong.” 

 

“I should have just stuck to the recipe… instead of trying to do it on my own.” He admitted. Aqua couldn’t help but laugh. Classic Terra, really, trying to do everything on his own. She was just about bring up a memory of her own when a knock on their door stopped her mid-motion. She sat up, a firm hand keeping Terra in place. 

 

“Ventus?” There was a moment of silence before the door creaked open. Ventus, clad in his pajamas, sheepishly scoot into the room. 

 

“Hey… Sorry, I just-- I heard you guys up and…”

 

“It’s okay. Come in, please. Having trouble sleeping again?” Ventus visually relaxed and closed the door behind him. He was quick to come over to the bed, carefully slipping in behind Aqua as she moved to give him room. He hugged her tightly from behind, sighing. 

 

“I think maybe I slept myself all out… I just don’t feel tired anymore.” Aqua settled back down and pulled Terra back into herself. He’d moved away slightly, presumably thinking they now that Ventus was here he couldn’t be close to her. She was having none of that. 

 

“That’s alright. I’d rather you in here relaxing than out in the training yard working yourself ragged. Terra and I were both up anyways.” 

 

“Is he bothering you?” Terra’s tone was one of incredibly forced neutrality. Aqua could admit that she herself would probably sound the same asking that question. Ventus was silent for a long time. 

 

“No… No, he’s not bothering me. It’s okay.” The tension sapped away quickly after that, leaving the three of them in a quiet pile of bodies. The night continued on and slowly, Ventus’ breathing evened out until he was snoozing lightly. Terra followed, snoring softly into Aqua’s chest. Aqua herself was the last to fall asleep, unwilling to close her eyes and lose the moment now that it was there in front of her. She couldn’t shake the feeling that somehow… She would opens her eyes…

 

And it would all be gone.

**Author's Note:**

> We all been sleeping on Terra/Aqua. Well, not me, but like, all of us in general. I love comments! Kudos appreciated but I live off comments. Thanks for reading!!


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